1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to a method for monitoring performance of an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus which is capable of monitoring its own performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been developed a facsimile apparatus that is capable of automatically generating a performance report at established periods. Users are able to anticipate the conditions of the facsimile machine by checking the performance report. If the performance report indicates abnormal conditions of the facsimile machine, the users may contact a service center of the machines.
A facsimile machine which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 6-105058 (1994) is capable of automatically generating a user list in addition to the above-mentioned performance report. The user list indicates users who use the facsimile machine in an established period, and these users are indicated correspondingly in the performance report as well.
Another facsimile machine which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 9-65034 (1997) is capable of generating a file broadcast report on demand during a file broadcast operation. With such a file broadcast report, users can check the current status of the file broadcast being performed.
Accordingly, users can benefit from such convenient reporting functions. However, the reporting functions are not sufficient for a service center to grasp the detailed conditions of a plurality of facsimile machines. To trace the details, the service center may need to dispatch a service personnel to the sites where the facsimile machines are installed.
It is believed that there is no system available that allows the service center to automatically read the performance conditions of the facsimile machine, avoiding a journey by the service personnel.